Device for making spiral wire fasteners



Feb. 20, 1923.

c. P. GRAY, DEVICE FOR MAKING SPIRAL WIRE FASTENERS.

FILED APR.1|| |922.

A TTOPJV E Y.

Patented lFeb. 20, 1923.

CHARLES P GRAY, OF WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

4DEVICE FOB MAKING SPIRAL VIRE FASTENERS.

Application filed April 11, 1922.

To all wim/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVest Chester, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Making Spiral Tire Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to certain improvements in devices for making spiral wire coils generally, and mo-re particularly to a type of the same adapted for making spiral wire fastenings for use as pivots for the securing together' of the moving parts of mechanical postcards and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for a device of the class mentioned, and one of an extremely simple, inexpensive and efficient construction and arrangement of parts wherein the exceedingly {ine and delicate wire fasteners, required for use in connection with themanufaoture of mechanical postcards, will be accurately formed directly at and in their places of use.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a novel method of forming fastenings or pivots for the moving parts of mechanical postcards or the like, which consists in passing a suitable length of line wire through the parts to be fastened or pivoted together, and then ceiling the oppositely p-rojected ends of the wire into tightly wound spiral coils, fiat against the oppositely disposed or outer faces of the parts to be fastened or pivoted together.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful construction, arrangement and operation of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of wire coiling device,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the coil forming end of the device, and showing the manner of operation of the saine,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of thel coil forming end of the device,

Fig. 5 is a face View of the lower coil forming end of the device with the work holding member removed therefrom,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the guard for facilitating the accu- Serial No. 551,482.

rate centering of the device over the work, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of an article, such as a mechanical postcard or the like, and showing one of the completed fasteners as applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, the referencecharacter a indicates a table or work support; b and c the lower and upperl superimposed portions of a mechanical postcard or the like; and al the length of wire fastening which is passed through the parts of the postcard in a manner to provide end portions of substantially equal length at the opposite sides thereof for the forming of the same into fiat spiral coils, as at e in Fig. 7.

The device or machine for forming the spiral coils e comprises a metal frame formed of an upper inclined bracket bar 10 having its upper free end formed to provide an apertured attaching ear 11 for the reception of a screw or the like 12, by means o f which is secured to an upright, carried by the work table or support, or otherwise arranged adjacent thereto. Dependingly supported from the bracket bar 10, by means of a vertical bar 13, is a lower frame bar 111, which is preferably inclined in a 4direction reverse to the inclination of the bar 10,' and formed at the forward free convergent ends of both of these bars 10 and 14, are alined bearing por tions 15 and 16, respectively.

Journaled in the bearing portions 15 and 16, is a hollow or tubular spindle 17, on which, between these portions 15 and 16, is secured, by means ofv a set screw 18, a pulley 19 which is tensioned with its upper hub face bearing against the under side of the upper bearing portion 15 byy means of a coiled spring 20 carried on the spindle 17 and interposed between a washer 21, seated in a depression 22 formed' in the lower face ofthe pulley 19, and the upper face of the bearing portion 16 for the purpose. The lower end portion of the hollow spindle 17 is stepped as at 17 to provide anextrenie lower end portion 17 of an appreciable less diameter than that of the upper portion thereof, which portion 17 has its end edge formed to provide a series of teeth, each formed with slightly undercut leading wall portions 28 and curved trailing wall portions 23', and

one equidistantly spa-ced from .the other to provide flat lend faces 23 therebetween.

Extending downwardly of the bore of the spindle 17 is a plunger 241, which has an enlargement 25 formed at its upper end. This enlargement 25 is longitudinallyslotted as at 26 for sliding engagement over the inner end of a set screw -27 carried by a cap 28 engaged over` the end of the plunger 24 and the upper end of the Asleeve 29, which is mounted on the plunger 24 below the enlargement 25. The upper `end `of the sleeve 29 is counter-bored to allow for sliding movement therein of lthe yenlargement 25 of the plunger 24;, vand bear-ing against .the upper end of the enlargement l25 is a coiled spring 30 housed within the bore of =the cap 28. Interposed between lthe upper end of the tubular spindle 17, and the opposed lower end of :the sleeve 29, is `a washer 31 arranged on the plunger 2-1 to compensate for wear between these parts of the device, and for the slight shortening .of the spindle 17 occasioned by the sharpening ot the teeth 23 at the lower end thereof. The lower ,end of the plunger 124i is formed to provide a small projection 32, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully explained.

Adapted to be .used with the device as 'herein'before described, and between the working end of the saine and the work to be acted on thereby, is ar guard Aconsisting of a very thin metal plate 33, on the longitudinal center ,of which is provided a circular opening 34, and leading outwardly from the opening, on a curved line, is a slotway 35 which is of a much less width than the diameter of the circular opening 341.

' In the use of the device the same is secured in position over the work table or support a with .the working end of the spindle 17 spaced about a quarter of an inch above the surface thereof, when the superimposed portions b and c of a mechanical postcard or the like will be position under the spindle 17 substantially las shown, with the guard plate 33 `interposed therebetween. The postcard parts Z) and c are first placed one on the other in a desired manner, and a fastening 4wire l is then passed through the same with its opposite .ends` preferably of equal length, bent down against the `upper and lower flat surfaces of the parts.

' The guard 33 is now .placed 'in position with the circular `opening 34 thereon disposed over the part of exit of the upper end of the i wire al from the card parts band c, and is centered directly under the reduced end of the plunger 241, and the bent end of the wire CZ is passed .outwardly of the slotted side of the opening .311. lVith the parts thus positioned, the plunger 24 is now depressed by one hand lof `the operator, so that the projection' 32 `enters Vthe yopening 341; yto Aone Side of the vertical portion of the wire d therein, and the shouldered nend portion of the plunger 2dabuts the upper face of the guard 33, when the latter will be withdrawn from beneath the device, the wire al and the projection 32 passing outwardly of the slot 35. Vith power now applied to the pulley 19, through the medium of an endless belt .36, the spindle 17 will be rotated in a direction to have the upper bent end of the wire l engage in one of the teeth 23 of the lower end of the spindle 17, when the same will be coiled about the project-ionv 32 substantially as is shown in Fig. 7. The length of the projection 32 is only sutlicient to engage in the opening .34 of the guard or centering plate 33, so that it will not penetrate the paper or cardboard parts Z) and c .beneath the latter, when4 the plungery24 is brought downwardly at the start ofthe operation. The coil spring 30, in the cap 428 at the upper end of the plunger 24, Iacts to prevent the successive coils of the fastening e from overlapping one another during the winding or coiling operation, while, at the completion of the calling operation and upon relieving the pressure of the hand on the capped .end of the plunger 241, the .coil spring 20, below the pulley 19, acts to lift the spindle 17 from the work.

vAfter the operation of the device for the forming of a coil c at one side of the postcard, .the latter is reversed to bring its under side in position to have the other end of the wire d similarly .formed to provide a coil c,

and the normal format-ion of both coils admits of the fasteners being used as pivots for moving parts of mechanical postcards and the like, but, by pressing the coils slightly toward yone another, the same may be used after the manner of ordinary fastenings for securing two or more immovable parts together.

From `the foregoing, it will Ibe readillynapparent that, while a preferred embodiment of the device has been described. and illustrated herein in specific terms and details of construction, arrangement and operation, various changes in and modifications ofthe saine may be resorted to without `departing from the spirit of the invention, Yor the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus fully described, the invention, what is claimed, ,is:-.--

1. The method of fastening together the parts of mechanical postcards lor the' like, which consists in superposing the parts one on the other7 passing through lthe parts a length of wire, and then coiling the opposite ends or' the wire into iatspiral ,coils in .abutP ting relation to the outer 4opposite sides of the parts.

2. The method of 4.pi-voting the movable parts of a mechanical postcard or the like position, which consists in superposing the parts one on the other, passing through the parts a length of wire, and then coiling the opposite ends of the wire into flat spiral coils disposed in abutting relation to the outer opposite sides of the parts.

3. rlhe method of fastening together of the parts of mechanical postcards or the like, which consists in superposing the parts one on the other, passing through the parts a suitable length oit wire in a lmanner to leave end portions of equal length projecty ing from the outer opposite sides of the parts, bending the end portions downwardly against the outer opposite sides of the parts, coiling the end portions of the wire into flat spiral coils, and then subjecting the spiral coils to slight pressure, whereby to dispose the same in closely abutting relation to the outer opposite sides of the parts.

4;. ln a device for forming spiral wire fasteners, a rotating hollow spindle having a plurality of teeth formed at one of its ends, a plunger slidably mounted in said spindle, and a projection formed on the end of said plunger and disposed outwardly of the toothed end of said spindle for the coiling around the same of a length of wire engaged in one or' the teeth of the spindle.

5. In a device for forming spiral wire fasteners, a frame, bearings supported in vertical alinement on said frame, a rotating hollow spindle journaled in said bearings and having a plurality7 oit teeth formed at its lower end, a plunger slidably mounted in said spindle, and a projection formed on the end o said plunger and 4disposed outwardly of the toothed end of said spindle for the coiling around the same of a length of wire engaged in one of the teeth of the spindle.

6. ln a device for forming spiral wire fasteners, a Jframe, bearings supported in vertical alinement on said frame, a rotating hollow spindle journaled in said bearings and having a plurality of teeth formed at its lower end, resilient means for sustaining said spindle spaced above the work placed beneath the same, a plunger mounted within said spindle and adapted to move the same to operative position against the tension of said resilient means when depressed, and a projection formed on the end of said plunger and disposed outwardly of the toothed end of said spindle for the coiling around the same of a length of wire engaged in one of the teeth of the spindle, said resilient means acting to move the spindle to normally inoperative position when said plunger is released.

7. In a device for forming spiral wire fasteners, a frame, bearings supported in vertical alinement on said frame, a rotating hollow spindle journaled in ysaid bearings and having a plurality of teeth formed at its lower end, resilient means for sustaining said spindle spaced above the work placed beneath the same, a plunger mounted within said spindle and adapted to move the same to operative position against. the tension of said resilient means when depressed, a projection formed on the end of said plunger and disposed outwardly of the toothed end of said spindle for the coiling around the same of a length of wire engaged in one of the teeth of the spindle, and means cooperative with said projection for centering the work with respect to the toothed end of said spindle, said resilient means acting to move the spindle to normally inoperative position when said plunger is released.

In testimony whereof, I atliX my signature hereto.

CHARLES P. GRAY. 

